I HAVE A DREAM…

Yes, my friends, I have a dream. I dream of a day when we'll see a majority of the American people finally snapping out of whatever trance it is that they have been in now for what seems, at least to me, to be decades. That they would finally come to realize that the government, and those who are part of government, be they bureaucrats or politicians, are not, I repeat are NOT, their friends. I dream of a time similar to that of my youth, when people like my folks took great pride in being self-reliant, self-sufficient and who were able to raise a family free of government interference. My father believed in an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay. He wasn’t afraid of work, having at least two jobs for most of the time I was growing up. And he instilled that work ethic in all of his kids.

I have a dream that once again there would be a majority of people in this country who actually love their country, who still got all teary-eyed at the playing of our national anthem, who recognized the importance of defending our Constitution and of making sure that our government acted responsibly in making sure that future generations would be able to enjoy the level of freedom that our Founders had envisioned for us. I have a dream that people would recognize the need for a military that is second to none, viewing it as being simple commonsense that freedom isn’t free and must be protected. I have a dream that a majority of people would gladly support rules requiring those who wish to join their ranks as citizens of this great country, do so legally and by the rules.

I have a dream that we could see an end to what has become the hyphenated American. That we could all come to the decision to bring an end to the African-American, the Hispanic-American or the Anything Goes-American. I have a dream when we would all look at one another, regardless of our race or religion or country or origin, and see nothing other than a fellow American. I have a dream that more people would come to believe that being an American still meant something special. That while, as a people, we are always willing to lend a helping hand, it should be expected that that helping hand would come with certain limitations. Assistance offered would not be offered with an open end, that those who are offered help would be expected to come to stand on their own.

And I have a dream that people would come to take their right to vote a bit more seriously. And they would also see the importance of protecting that right. I have a dream that a majority of Americans would understand the importance of having someone show some form of identification at the time of voting. And I have a dream that when judging political candidates, more Americans would take the proper measures in determining a candidate’s fitness for holding public office. That more people would look past a candidate’s race or so-called star power. That such things as character, values, integrity, honesty and the standing by one’s principles would become the truly important qualities and/or traits that one would look for in those who one chooses to vote for.

So anyway, there you have it. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m neither foolish, nor naïve, enough to think that much of my dream has much of a chance of ever coming true. Too many people in this country seem have forgotten, or simply have no interest in finding out, what it means to be an American. And I would even go so far as to say that many have been encouraged to do so. And many in this country, when once people came to this country wanting to BECOME an American, now no longer have no such desire to become one of us, seeking only to take advantage of us and of our generosity. The American spirit that once burned so brightly has now become not much more than a flicker. And if we allow it to be extinguished completely, America, as it was meant to be, will surely be dead.